Freshly Baked

When the weather turns a bit cooler I love to make more comforting foods. What could be more comforting than the smell of fresh baked bread? Having never attempted to make fresh bread (even in a bread maker) I cruised around the internet for a simple bread recipe. I found a recipe for “Fabulous Homemade Bread” and tweaked it a little bit. You could easily add wheat bran or wheat germ for more fiber; I’m going to keep experimenting with it – but this an easy & yummy recipe for a basic sandwich like bread.

Enjoy!

Yields 2 loaves

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons warm water

1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast

1 1/2 Tablespoon bread flour

1 teaspoon white sugar

2/3 cup quick cooking oats

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups warm water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, stir together 3 Tbsp warm water, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 1/2 Tbsp bread flour, and yeast. Let grow for about 5 minutes. It will bubble almost immediately.

Measure oats, wheat flour, salt and honey into a seperate bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups warm water and the oil. Mix into grown sponge on low speed with a dough hook for 1 to 2 minutes. Increase speed slightly, and begin adding bread flour 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Humidity determines how much flour you need before the bread pulls away from the edge of the bowl. It is normal for the dough to be sticky.

Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.